(PS14-79) Pilot Study of an Act-enhanced PMT Program for ADHD: Preliminary Feasibility and Acceptability Data

Parent management training (PMT) is a well-established psychosocial treatment for children with disruptive behaviors, including those associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; Evans et al., 2014). Despite the efficacy of this intervention in reducing problem behaviors, there is a lack of caregiver engagement or clinically significant treatment gains, and approximately 50% of families terminate treatment prematurely (Chacko et al., 2016). Furthermore, ADHD as a chronic disorder may contribute to persistent emotional distress and ineffective child-rearing practices in parents (Burke et al., 2008). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a third-wave behavioral intervention that aims to foster acceptance towards unwanted or unchangeable experiences, which may be particularly well-suited for families of children with ADHD (Hayes et al., 2012). In the parenting context, ACT could promote acceptance of ADHD as a chronic condition, increase the salience of parenting values, reduce parenting stress, and increase the likelihood that parents will implement consistent PMT practices across situations. The current project investigated the feasibility and acceptability of incorporating ACT principles into an existing PMT program for parents of children with ADHD as delivered via a telehealth platform. Children ages 7-12 diagnosed with ADHD as a primary disorder and their caregivers were recruited and a final sample of five families (six caregivers) participated in this single-case experimental design. Daily data was completed by caregivers via automated survey. Caregivers participated in a two-session ACT pre-intervention to introduce ACT principles, followed by eight sessions of ACT-informed PMT skills. Findings suggested favorable acceptability and feasibility of the intervention based on quantitative data (i.e., attendance, participation, utility ratings), daily survey completion, and post-treatment qualitative feedback from caregivers. All of the families who initiated the intervention attended all sessions and completed pre- and post-treatment measures. Additionally, there were high rates of completion of the daily surveys ( >50% for 5 out of 6 families), and some families pointed to the daily nature of the survey as driving change in their parenting behavior through increased mindful awareness. The novel aspect of this intervention, the ACT pre-intervention and ACT-informed BPT skills (i.e., ACT-informed phase), were largely acceptable. Overall, this project contributed to emerging literature supporting an ACT-based parent training approach that could benefit caregivers of children with ADHD who otherwise do not benefit from traditional PMT.